> (I do use a Mac at my day-job, but only because the choice is Mac or Windows, no Linux option).
This is true at my employment too but we just tell them we're installing a Linux OS and IT does not care. You may want to check if you can get a Linux option by choosing Windows hardware.
Nah, there's no way to get away with that here. This is a highly regulated industry and IT has everything locked down tighter than a drum. Running a non-approved OS on a company machine is probably a fireable offense. I'm not even sure if you'd get a warning first.
This is true at my employment too but we just tell them we're installing a Linux OS and IT does not care. You may want to check if you can get a Linux option by choosing Windows hardware.